LVMH and its Maisons engaged in fight against coronavirus in France
LVMH
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© DR
Europe is now the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic and France has been severely impacted by the virus. Home to LVMH and the majority of its Maisons, France needs help from every possible source and the Group is pursuing numerous solidarity initiatives. Here’s a recap of some of the concrete actions taken in France by LVMH and its Maisons thanks to the unwavering engagement of their teams.
Since the beginning of lockdown measures in France, LVMH has taken a number of large-scale actions to help the country’s public health authorities. The perfumes and cosmetics production sites of Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain and Parfums Givenchy retooled their lines to make large quantities of hand sanitizer gel for hospitals. LVMH also secured orders for several million FFP2 surgical masks for French health authorities, as well as respiratory equipment, with delivery expected in April. The Group will continue this solidarity as long as is necessary.
In addition to actions by LVMH, the Group’s Maisons have stepped up to help fight the epidemic as well. Louis Vuitton has begun producing non-medical masks approved by authorities at twelve of its workshops in France. Some 300 leather goods artisans are working to meet a government request for alternative non-medical barrier masks to help stop the spread of the virus.
The Dior workshop in Redon in Brittany, which generally makes Baby Dior products, reopened last week to manufacture masks. Volunteer staff from the Maison are supplying these masks to exposed workers such as cashiers in supermarkets.
Patou is donating proceeds from the sale of two products – a white sweater and a black t-shirt available on patou.com – to the WHO Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Jewelry house Fred joined the “Visières de l’Espoir” initiative, which is making full face shields for hospital medical staff using 3D printing. Some 2,200 units of this essential protection equipment have been delivered to the Paris hospital system. In addition, 20% of sales from online sales by Maison Fred until May 31 will be donated to the “Visières de l’Espoir” effort.
Aiding hospital staff is a priority. Sephora has donated 30,000 tubes of hand cream to Paris hospitals and another 5,000 to other medical facilities across France. The Maison will also donate 35,000 tubes of cream to hospitals in other European countries.
As Easter approaches, the Grande Épicerie de Paris is offering a little comfort during this difficult period, donating 3,000 Easter chocolates to Paris hospitals for hospitalized children and children of medical personnel, who have been on the front lines for weeks.
LVMH Wines & Spirits Maisons are contributing to the fight against Covid-19 too. Moët & Chandon is aiding the Auban-Moët hospital by sending essential materials (hand sanitizer gel, gloves, protective glasses, etc.), delivering breakfasts to staff each morning and handling part of the cleaning and disinfection of the hospital through one of its service providers. The Maison has also made facilities in Pierry used during grape harvests available to hospital staff so they can get some much-deserved rest.
Hennessy is supplying material to local medical facilities as well, as is Veuve Clicquot for Maison Blanche hospital in Reims. And Château d’Yquem has provided alcohol for the pharmacy at the Sauternes hospital for production of hand sanitizer gel.
The LVMH Group thanks all its employees for their work and engagement during this difficult period.